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Tuesday, December 2, 2003

VATICAN CITY, DEC 2, 2003 (VIS) - On Tuesday, November 25, Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, met in the Vatican with Reverend Canon John L. Paterson, Secretary General of the Anglican Consultative Council. According to a communique made public today, the future of Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue was discussed during the meeting, 'especially in light of recent developments within the life of the Anglican Communion.'

'As a result of the conversation, it was decided that the next plenary session of the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM) and its work towards the publication and reception of a Common Statement of Faith would have to be put on hold.'

The communique concludes by saying: 'Cardinal Kasper has welcomed the request of His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, that appropriate means be found to reflect jointly upon the ecclesiological issues raised by recent developments within Anglican Communion in the light of the relevant Agreed Statements of ARCIC (Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission).'Keys: ;CATHOLIC-ANGLICAN DIALOGUE;...;@ ;VIS;20031202;Word: 170;

VATICAN CITY, DEC 2, 2003 (VIS) - On the occasion of the 40(th) anniversary of the promulgation of the constitution on sacred liturgy, 'Sacrosanctum concilium,' on December 4, 1963 by Vatican Council II, the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of Sacraments has organized a commemorative symposium in the Vatican on December 4. The head of the congregation is Cardinal Francis Arinze.

In addition to addressing the topic, 'The 'Sacrosanctum concilium' forty years later: between the past and future,' the following themes will be discussed during the one-day seminar: 'The liturgy of John Paul II' and 'One hundred years of the motu proprio 'Tra le sollecitudini' by St. Pius X: balance and perspectives.'

Personnel of the Roman Curia and pontifical universities, as well as experts in liturgy and sacred music are invited to attend the symposium which will take place in the New Hall of the Synod.Keys: ;SACROSANTUM CONCILIUM SYMPOSIUM;...;ARINZE ;VIS;20031202;Word: 240;

VATICAN CITY, DEC 2, 2003 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II received participants in a gathering promoted by the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue and the Organization for Islamic Culture and Communications in Teheran, Iran on the theme, 'Truth, Justice, Love, Freedom: Pillars of peace.'

After greeting Archbishop Pier Luigi Celata, secretary of the dicastery, and Ayatola Mahmood Mohammadi Araqi, head of the organization who led a group of eight representatives, the Pope said: 'Today there is an especially urgent need for dialogue, understanding and cooperation between the world's great religions, especially Christianity and Islam. Religion is in fact called to build bridges between individuals, peoples and cultures, to be a sign of hope for humanity. I appeal to you, and to all men and women of good will, to join your voices with mine as I repeat that the holy name of God must never be used to incite violence or terrorism, to promote hatred or exclusion.'

'I am confident,' he concluded, 'that your continued dialogue and cooperation, of which this Colloquium is an eloquent example, will do much to help Christians and Muslims to be ever more effective instruments of peace in our world. May Almighty God bless your efforts, and may He grant to all mankind the courage and strength to embrace truth, justice, love and freedom as true pillars of peace.'

VATICAN CITY, DEC 2, 2003 (VIS) - The International Biennial of Modern Art, which will be celebrated in Florence, Italy, will present the 'Lawrence the Great' Award to the Restoration Laboratories of the Vatican Museums for their 'precious and noteworthy commitment in the field of art with the continual restoration of the greatest patrimony of humanity.'

The biennial, which will celebrate its fourth edition on December 6-14 in Florence, was presented today during a press conference in the Vatican Museums. This year 890 artists from 70 nations will participate. The director of the exhibition is John T. Spike, art critic and historian. Among the activities that will take place throughout the conference is a seminar given by David Hockney on December 9 on the optical instruments of renaissance artists.

With respect to the Vatican Museums, the main restoration projects completed throughout the years on the 'immense artistic patrimony entrusted to them' will be documented, from objects of ancient Mediterranean civilizations, to Greco-Roman sculpture, from silver and ivory of late antiquity, ' to terracotta works by Bernini.' One of the most significant pieces in the exhibition is the plaster cast of the 'Piet…' by Michelangelo, made thirty years before the statue was defaced, which made it possible to reconstruct the Virgin's disfigured face.Keys: ;BIENNIAL MODERN ART;...;VATICAN MUSEUMS ;VIS;20031202;Word: 230;